A Mid-Lithospheric Discontinuity Detected Beneath 155 Ma Western Pacific Seafloor Using Sp Receiver Functions

This study probes the lithosphere-asthenosphere system beneath 155 Ma Pacific seafloor using teleseismic S-to-p receiver functions at the Pacific Lithosphere Anisotropy and Thickness Experiment project ocean-bottom-seismometers. Within the lithosphere, a significant velocity decrease at 33–50 km depth is observed. This mid-lithospheric discontinuity is consistent with the velocity contrast between the background mantle and thin, trapped layers of crystallized partial melt, in the form of either dolomite or garnet granulite. These melts possibly originated from deeper asthenospheric melting beneath the flanks of spreading centers, and were transported within the cooling lithosphere. A positive velocity increase of 3%–6% is observed at 130–155 km depth and is consistent with the base of a layer with partial melt in the asthenosphere. A shear velocity decrease associated with the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary at 95–115 km depth is permitted by the data, but is not required.